ATTENTION

Our eyes and ears should be open and alert to the natural wonders that surround us every day. Take time to look out our windows to see the birds that visit us and open our windows to hear them. Walk around whatever space we have to enjoy the birds in nature. Every day, work on improving our powers of observation.

ACCEPTANCE

Nature happens. We cannot MAKE natural things happen (or NOT happen). We can create habitats to encourage natural things to happen around us, but there are no guarantees.

RESPONSIBILITY

Birdfeeding comes with responsibilities to the birds and the environment we share with them. If you are unwilling to accept these responsibilities, you shouldn’t feed the birds. We also have a responsibility to share these natural wonders with the next generation.

September 08, 2011

FAQ - Will Hummingbirds Not Migrate Because I Leave My Feeder Out?

Q: Is it true that hummingbirds that visit my feeder will not migrate if I leave my feeder up in the fall?

A: No. This is another in a long line of bird myths. Birds are genetically programmed to migrate when their internal "clocks" tell them to do so. They will depart when the time is right whether your feeders are up or not. Leaving your feeders up in fall and getting them up early in spring may help early or late migrants that are passing through your area.

Bethe, when you saw the bird upside down, it was in a state of "torpor", when they slow their metabolism down to save energy. They rev back up in the morning to start feeding.
Like I advised Jackie B., keep your hummingbird feeder up, clean and fresh to continue to help your hummingbird fatten up for the next leg of its journey. Your feeder is helping it do that. Your bird will move on when it has enough fat on it to leave. Thanks for taking good care of it!

Jackie B.- keep your hummingbird feeder up, clean and fresh to continue to help your hummingbird. It is trying to fatten up for the next leg of its journey, and your feeder is helping it do that. It'll move on when it has enough fat on it to leave. Thanks for taking good care of it!

Oct 7, 2013
This morning I noticed the last hummingbird hanging upside down on the feeder. She is obviously weak and cold. It rained yesterday and it's 50 degrees out this a.m. Why didn't she migrate? I don't know what to do with her. Help!

It is now October 6, 2013, it has been in the mid forties the past few nights. I live in Iowa. I have one hummingbird I see every once in a while during the day. It has been rainy the past three days. Why isn't he going South? Several weeks ago I had bunches of 7 to 9 hummingbirds at the feeders at various times during the day for about a week, I imagine they were migrating.

Are there any cases where a hummingbird will NOT migrate? Its mid september and just about all of them have left but one or two. One of them that I KNOW is the same one thats been here all season and hasn't left yet.